Today we’d like to introduce you to Carol Moody.
Carol, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
HOSPITALITY… that’s always been a gift of mine. Whether it was making sure the house was tidy before my mother came home from an exhausting day at work, or hosting our family reunion to include charter bus tours and lunch buffets, my goal is to always make people feel comfortable and at ease.
To keep busy during the pandemic, my husband, Travis, and I purchased a home located in South Memphis and started renovations and updates to use the property as a short-term rental. Our goal was to attract travelers coming to Memphis to visit Graceland.
We decorated the property Mid-Century Modern, added high-tech bells and whistles, and then listed the property on Airbnb. The property has been fully booked since 2020. However, some guests were using the property as a party/event space.
That’s when I got the idea to open an event space, because people were wanting to celebrate their events, but not in their own homes. At the time, the CDC was limiting gatherings to less than 100 people. I started to research ” intimate event venues” and found that there was a big market for this type of facility.
After searching for locations, we found the perfect spot in Cordova on Germantown Parkway. It was previously a dry cleaner. We signed the lease and immediately started demos and renovations. My vision was to have a bright, high-tech space where people could host events such as birthday celebrations, baby showers, rehearsal dinners, etc.
Our capacity is 50 guests. The business model is to make the venue space all-inclusive. Included with the venue rental are tables, wooden Chiavari chairs, smart TV, a professional Bluetooth speaker, wifi access, and a wireless microphone. The decor feels like downtown Memphis with a brick panel wall and black ceilings, yet we’re in the heart of Cordova.
Basically, a host would only need to bring their food and drink.
I run the venue like an Airbnb. The booking process is paperless. All contracts and payments are online. Guests pay their deposit and rental fee. On the day of the event, they use their door code to get in, set up, host the event, break everything down, and lock up.
The hosts love this hands-off approach. Most of the hosts, I have never met. I was working a full-time job when I started the venue, so my goal was to make the booking/hosting process able to run without me being present at the venue.
I left my job in January 2022. The businesses I have both fit my introverted personality. The event space is already generating profits and is consistently booked every weekend.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I learned so much during the process of opening the venue. Especially learning about Code Enforcement and contractors.
There’s so much that goes into owning an event space. I took my time to make sure that we followed the inspector’s guidelines and that we are in total compliance.
We did have to add a restroom that is handicap accessible.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I own and operate an intimate event space.
We specialize in small events such as baby showers, graduation parties, rehearsal dinners, retirement parties, etc.
Visions Event Studio is known for being an all-inclusive venue that includes tables, chairs, black tablecloths, smart tv, wireless microphone, professional blue-tooth speaker, and wi-fi access.
What sets us apart from others is our customer service, our paperless booking process, and our giving our event hosts complete control of the venue during the rental window.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
YouTube and Instagram are where I found inspiration and ideas for Visions Event Studio.
I’m so grateful for the venue owners who list step by step what to do to open a venue.
The book that changed my paradigm as a woman entrepreneur is We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers
Pricing:
- 6-hour rental $700 weekends
- 6-hour rental $550 Mon-Thur
Contact Info:
- Website: www.visionsmemphis.com
- Instagram: @visionseventstudio901
- Facebook: visionseventstudio
Image Credits
Chris Steen and Ricki Moody
